Flexible coupling



E. SIMPSON FLEXIBLE COUPLI'NG July 6,1926. K 1,591,242

vFiled May 7, 1925 @noruega I vnieuwe July 6,1926.

. UNITED -s T.'1\ TF.;S`

1,591,242, PATENT] OFFICE.

WILLIAM a. smrsoN, or DETROIT, mIcIIIGAIi, AssIGNon To PALMER-BEECOMPANY,

' or nn'rnorr, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION or MIGIIIGAN.

FLEXIBLE coUr'LING.

driving -and driven memberstoward each other or angularly relative to each other; the

provision'of a coupling in which vibration is eliminated; the provision of alcoupling in `which the load is distributed over both the driving and driven members; and the provision of a coupling having a flexible belt for effecting the driving ofthe driven member from the driving member, this belt being insertable into. place without the necessity of separating the driving and `driven members. Other objects of the invention reside in thenovel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as more fully hereinafter set forth.

Figure 1 is a perspective' view part-ly broken away of a flexible coupling embody.

ing -my invention;

Figure 2 1s an end''elevation-thereof;

Figure 3is a cross section therethrougln 1 and 2 are respectively the spaced .driving and driven members of the flexible coupling in the formof disks having hubs 3 Tandsl" respectively. Thedrivingmember is keyed lupon the drive shaft 5` which in the present instance is the drive shaft of the electric `motor 6 having the nose 7 extending adjacent to the end of the hub 3.' lThe driven member 2 is keyed-upon, the drivenshaft-8. For drivinfr the driven member from the driving memberl have provided the annular series of round pins 9 secured to the driven member 2 and extending transversely therefrom into -the space between the driving and driven members. I have also provi ed the annular .series of round pins 10 i .mounted upon the driving member 1 and adapted to extend into the space between the driving and driven members into positionsA overlapping the pins 9. The annular series of pins 9 are spaced radially inward from the annularseriesof pins 10.

11 is 'a flexible continuous member or belt which passes alternately over and under the pins 10 and 9- respectively, these pins being varranged in staggered annular relation.

With the construction as thus 'far .de-

.scribed thejdriving'of the driven member movement of the driving and driven melnlin lgor the purpose of permitting ofreplacingr or installing the flexible belt when the 1923'. serial No. 637,355.` of the coupling from the driving member 66 is efficiently accomplished regardless of the axial alignment or'endwise movement of the 'shafts upon whichy these members are bersl `is substantially eliminated.` Further- A more, the load upon the coupling is equally distributed over all of the pins of the coupcoupling is in place without the necessity of separating the coupling members, I have made the annular series of pins 10 longitudinally adjustably slidable 'in the driving member 1 beyond, the hub 3 so that these pins may be adjusted from the space between the driving and driven members of the coupling, after which the flexible belt may be inserted in a lattened condition as shown by the dotted lines 12 in Figure 2 between the driving and driven members and looped radially outwardly vto permit of the pins 10 being individually longitudinally moved into the spacev between the driving and driven members vand into the loops to be embraced thereby. v For holding the longitudinally adjustable pins 10 in their operative positions I have provided the resilient split ring 13 occupying the annular grove 14 in the periphery of the driving member land adapted to `resiliently engage in the annular grooves 15 formed in the peri heries of the pins 10, This ring is locate inside the pins 10 soJ that upon rotation of the coupling, the centrifugalforce will press the-ring into firmer engagement .with .the grooves `in the pms. 'lo'permit of moving the' pins suliiciently from the space between the driving and driven couplingm'embers in the event that the hub 3 of thedriving member is not. long enough, the circumferential face 'of the nose 7 of the electric motor or similarp'rime can lbe moved to a position to overlap the means engageable with said recesses for.

-with 'the annular series oi openings 16 adapted to register with the pins 10 so that a drift may be inserted through these open-l ings vto engage the pins.

With this arrangement it will be readily seen that I have provided a simple construction of flexible coupling which in addition to having the advantages above y oint'ed out is so arranged that the flexible elt may be inserted into place without the necessity yof separatinge the driving and driven coupling mem rs; Furthermore,-

in addition to saving the labor which will be required inl separating the coupling members, a decided saving in time is made in inserting thebelt. It will also be seen that the higher the rate of rotation of the coupling, the greater the force exerted upon the sprmg ring or retainer'to hold the pins in operatlve osition. s

What I clalm as my invention is:

1. In a flexible coupling, the combination with spaced vcooperating driving and driven members, of transversely extending pins upon. said members normally occupying the space therebetween, the pins of one of said'.

members being longitudinally adjustable lnlrom thespacebetween said members and provided with recesses in their peripheries,

holding said pins in one position o f adjustment, land a continuous flexible! member passin over said pins when occupying the space j etween said members.

2. In a flexible coupling, the combination' with spaced cooperating driving and driven members, of transversely extendin -pins' s ,upon said'members normally occupying the Lspacevtherebetween, the pins of one of-said membersv being provided` with annular grooves in their eripheries and being `ad- Justable longitudinally from the space between said members, a resilient ring engageable in said grooves to hold said pins in the space between said members, and a flexible belt passing over saidA pins in the Vspace between said members to effect the 4driving member.' i

whereof lI ax my Signa- 1vv 3; In. a aexible coupling, the comunation' with spaced cooperatmg driving and driven members, of transversely extending pins upon said members normally occupying the space therebetween, the pins of one of said members being provided with recesses in their peripherles and being longitudinally adjustable from the space between said members, means positioned radially inward relative to said. last-mentioned' pins and engageable with the -recesses thereof and la flexible member en aging all of said ins for effecting the griving of said driven member from said driving member. ,Y

4. In' a iexible coupling, t'he combination with spaced cooperatmg driving and driven members each havin y normally occupying ille space between said members, ofv a continuous iexible member passing over the pins to form a seriescof the pins of one vof vsaid members be- `ing' individuallyadjustable longitudinallyA from the space between said members and cops,

a single means 'engaging said last mentioned member and pins for holding said last men-` f i tioned pins in one position of adjustment.l

5. In a ilexible' coupling, the combination with spaced cooperating driving and driven members each havinv normally occupying t e space therebetween, one of said members being provided with a .groove and the pins of said member being provided with annular grooves in their a plurality of pins a plurality of pins eripheries adapted to register with t-he v 'within the first mentioned groove and ra-` dially inward relative to .said last mentioned pins and engageable with the an'- nular grooves therein and a flexible member engaging all of said pins for effecting the drlving of said driven member from said In .testimon ture.

WILLIAM E. snarson` rst mentioned. groove; said pins being longi-, i 

